Ecosystem Künstlerdorf - Learning from Nature

The project begun as an accompanying research of the institutional socio-ecological transformation process of the residency program of the Foundation Künstlerdorf Schöppingen. This process aimed to be inspired by permaculture in order to create a way for fair and sustainable coexistence within the Künstlerdorf community and with the local citizens.

The ethical principles of permaculture are: 'Earthcare', 'Peoplecare', 'Fair shares'. In addition, there are the design principles such as 'Obtain a Yield', 'Integrate rather than segregate', 'Use and value edges and the marginal', 'Use and value diversity', 'Observe and interact', 'Creatively use and respond to change', 'Apply self-regulation and accept feedback', 'Use small and slow solutions'... these can be understood for any type of relationships in communities of humans and more than humans (see photo banner on this page).

In a joint research process, Cornelia Steinhäuser explored the understanding of sustainability lived in the Künstlerdorf and the activities initiated for this purpose through intensive field observation from a landscape ecology-ethnographic perspective. And at the same time, Jakob Kreß undertook a field study and a social-ecological mapping of the Künstlerdorf as a real-world laboratory as part of his social science bachelor's thesis. The exploration and evaluation of the 'experimental setting living lab' then took place, in addition to the continued accompanying research, through an interdisciplinary course: the research and project seminar: 'Subtle Networks: The Künstlerdorf Schöppingen as a transformative living lab'. Further 'real experiments' were undertaken, such as co-designing the exchange with citizens on the perception of and possible collaborations with the Künstlerdorf at a 'Vision day' and a 'Discussion forum', as well as the exploration of visible and invisible networking between the people of the Künstlerdorf and Schöppingen through water and their representation on water connection maps.

In the meantime, the project has grown, developed in an interdisciplinary manner together with the Arbeitskreis Gemeinschafts- und Nachhaltigkeitsforschung, won the Citizen Science Prize of the University of Münster and, above all, has led to a deep process of mutual learning by everyone involved.

Responsible for the project in the Working Group Ecological Planning: Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser

Term: May 2022 - March 2024